‘I tried my best’

A SORE hamstring could not prevent Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle from a strong performance in the final of the men’s long jump, as he took the silver medal at the Tokyo World Athletics Championships on day five inside the Japan National Stadium.

Gayle registered strong performances throughout the final, with a season’s best of 8.34 metres seeing him finishing second.

Italy’s Mattia Furlani took the gold medal with a personal best, 8.39, while China’s Yuhao Shi was third with 8.33.

Nikaoli Williams, the other Jamaican in the final, finished ninth with a best effort of 7.85.

Gayle had opened his series with a massive 8.33-metre jump, which saw him leading the pack for most of the competition.

He improved it to 8.34 on his fourth attempt; however, Furlani snatched the win with his fifth attempt, leaping to the winning mark of 8.39.

Gayle explained that his plan was to put all his effort into his opening jump, as he was unsure if his body would survive the entire series due a worsening hamstring.

While disappointed he did not top the podium, the long jumper said he is proud to have finished on it, considering his situation.

“Being on the podium, honestly, is a very good feeling,” he said after the event.

“I was hoping for the gold, really, but unfortunately, my hamstring wasn’t giving me much today. I tried my best to try to get on the first jump but I knew after that, I didn’t have much to offer because my hamstring was really cramping up, and it’s a very sore hamstring from since the prelims.”

He continued, “I was trying to be very positive out there, hoping nothing went wrong, and it didn’t, so it’s a very great competition.”

The silver added to Gayle’s growing global closet, as it joins his World Championships gold from 2019 and his bronze in 2023.

Gayle said there is little for him to complain about, as he now has the full complement of medals and has stood among the best in his field for the last six years.

“I tried my best,” he said. “I’ve won three medals, so I can’t complain. What would I be complaining about? I’ve won three medals.”

The result also brings Jamaica’s medal tally up to six; one gold, four silver and one bronze.

Day five also brought more action for Jamaica, with the highlight being the qualifiers in the men’s 200m.

Bryan Levell was the star of the show, his dominant run turning heads.

Levell ran an easy 19.84 seconds, shutting down metres ahead of the finish and crossing the line at a near walk.

He said he was left surprised by the time, bearing in ind how much he left in the tank.

“I just wanted to execute a good bend and then I wouldn’t have to do too much in the straight,” he explained.

“I just relaxed after coming off of the bend and don’t put limits on myself, so I was surprised by the time - I thought I’d run around 21.00!”

Jamaica will field all three competitors in the men’s 200m semi-final as Adrian Kerr, 20.13, and Christopher Taylor, 20.26, also qualified from their heats.

In the women’s equivalent, Shericka Jackson and Ashanti Moore booked spots to the next round, while Gabrielle Matthews fell short of the mark.

Jackson, the defending champion, showed maturity and poise, racing to an easy 22.33, with Moore advancing from her heat in 22.57.

Matthew’s time of 23.40 was only enough to see her finishing seventh in heat one.

Jordan Scott, Jamaica’s only competitor in the men’s triple jump, advanced to the final in comfortable fashion, leaping to 17.19 to move on as an automatic qualifier.

Scott needed two jumps to hit the mark, as his opening attempt of 17.00 was just shy of the standard, 17.10.

“It was always to go out there and get it done on the first jump. Unfortunately, you know, I was a little bit too relaxed, just trying to get in a safe jump,” he explained.

“But we were able to put it together on the second attempt and get the the qualification out of the way.”

In the women’s 400m hurdles, Shiann Salmon will be the long Jamaican in the race as she advanced from the semi-finals, with Andrenette Knight missing the mark.

The men, however, will be without Jamaican representation as Roshawn Clarke, 48.37, and Malik James-King, 48.01, finished fourth in their heats, failing to advance.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com